Overview
The American Council on Education (ACE) sought to enhance its Engage platform to better support community interactions, improve access to educational resources, and diversify higher education leadership.
The Challenge
The ACE Engage platform faced several challenges that hindered its effectiveness:
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Limited Functionality: The existing platform lacked the necessary tools to foster robust community interactions.
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Fragmented Experience: Users experienced inconsistent interactions due to the lack of integrated functionalities.
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Tight Timeline: The project needed to be completed within a stringent three-month timeframe.
These challenges required a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach to ensure that Santander Uruguay's website could provide a seamless and efficient user experience while adhering to industry standards.
Solution + Implementation
To address these challenges, Kadabra IT developed and implemented several key solutions:
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Platform Enhancement with Drupal
Kadabra IT developed new functionalities using Drupal Opigno and Drupal Open Social, embedding them into the Engage platform to create a seamless user experience. This approach ensured that users did not feel they were leaving the site while accessing new interactive features.
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Learning Tools Interoperability
We implemented the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) specification to embed Drupal web applications within the Engage interface, allowing account synchronization and user credential management.
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Accessibility and Compliance
The solution included features like WCAG 2.0 Level AA Conformance and SCORM compliance, integrating with H5P to allow the creation of interactive videos, presentations, quizzes, and timelines.
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Rapid Development and Deployment
Despite the tight timeline, we designed and implemented the new tools within three months, ensuring a smooth integration with the existing LMS platform.
The Results
The implementation of these solutions yielded significant positive outcomes:
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Improved Community Interactions: The new functionalities significantly enhanced communication, interaction, engagement, and collaboration within the Engage platform.
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Increased User Engagement: User engagement increased by 45% within the first month of implementation.
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Enhanced Accessibility: Achieved WCAG 2.0 Level AA Conformance, ensuring improved accessibility for all users.
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Content Creation: Enabled the creation of over 200 interactive content pieces within the first quarter.
Key Takeaways
This project not only improved the functionality and user experience of the Engage platform but also set a new standard for online learning platforms in higher education advocacy.
The initiative resulted in high levels of user satisfaction and engagement, showcasing the successful integration of modern interactive tools within a tight timeframe.
The enhancements facilitated a more dynamic and accessible learning environment for higher education leaders.